Saturday 13 December 2014

Muay Thai Boxing



Muay Thai Boxing is the thing that i have most requested this week.

So you want to have a go do you?


Well there is the great many of Muay Thai boxing stadiums in Rawai to choose from but how do you choose? There are acts / displays and they suggest you stay away from Patong to see the real one.


In face there is a Local Stadium which I pass on the way to work each day and I know that people who stay with us at Cape Panwa Hotel like to visit there each day - there is a private lesson you could have.

So what does it entail?


I don't know - I have only watched and said "I have to go home to cook dinner".

 



Sunday 7 December 2014

Dairy Hut Farm and Restaurant (Phang-Nga)


Dairy Hut has always been (for me) associated with ice-cream and puddings so I was a little surprised when I was told that they were also associated with a farm for children!


Dairy Hut farm seemed to be an attraction for families - with decorations outside the farm my daughter was immediately taken. It was total entertainment and we were all taken with the fun and the cheapness of it all.


Feeding the llamas came first - buying small sticks of carrot and...


Atishooo - all over my daughter's hair and I have to give it to her, a small weep and mummy had new clothes for her.


Walking round there were baby sheep to feed


then a horse to ride.

In fact the best description was from mydestination 

Dairy Hut Farm, set amongst limestone hills and cliffs amongst lush vegetation is an attraction in Phang Nga.
The farm features roughly 100 animals such as cows, alpacas, horses, lamas and sheep, some of which have been imported from abroad. Take a tour and feed some of the animals and ride a horse. There's also a ferris wheel to ride.
If you get hungry, there's a restaurant with some International and Thai fare and coffee and baked goods to enjoy. Naturally, with the types of animals on the farm, a lot of milk is produced. A must try is the homemade ice cream, an Italian style gelato.
The farm also has a shop that sells souvenirs such as piggy banks, coffee mugs, stuffed animals and umbrellas.


There was a restaurant there but it was not the biggest attraction - thanks Jamie.

  




Monday 1 December 2014

The Phuket Thai Hua Museum


Phuket Thai Hua Museum is a relatively new construction and if you are interested in the development and History of Phuket this is a must to visit.



There are a number or rooms and the list is best investigated on their website.




  4) Patronage
  6) The Chinese of Phuket




  7) The Tin-Mining Era 


  8) Attire



 12) Precious Heritage      
     

What a fabulous place - I could not spend enough time here to take in all of the information which is provided.



My favourite was the information about the food is particular to Phuket - definitely  worth a wander through Phuket Town looking for the Local stalls.


 

Tripadvisor: not popular
Phone Number: 076 211 224
Approximate Price: 200 Baht
Address: 28 Krabi Rd, Phuket Town
Hours: Daily, 9am - 5pm


Sunday 23 November 2014

Phuket Cultural Centre

what are these sticks with the book? - book marks?
Phuket Cultural Centre was a find purely because i was asked about it and I knew very little about it - so i visited it the next week.


The centre is on the grounds of the Rajabhat University and there was one sign to it as we drove the road. 

The Phuket Cultural Centre is described by Rajabhat as - 'A presentation of arts, culture and artefacts from the area of the Andaman Coast'.

The actual building is not one that one who have thought housed such a treasure of artefacts.The building is unassuming and looks in need of a degree of care BUT it is there and this is what matters.

On entering the building it was a little disarming because there was nobody there and there was no indication or directions that we could go in but we did. I was taken there by Thai person and this did help as they knocked on a door and the staff came to assist us (reminding me of a visit to the Thavorn Museum where they put the lights on).

When they did I was immediately taken with the plethora of items that there were on display in and out of the cabinets.

this is a weighing tool for the dredged tin?
The actual building was divided into areas with a different focus.

an example of the Baba living in Phuket
do you think they need a DJ?

Fascinating things - do you remember when a camera was a camera?

a seeming well used or old Mahjong set - is it Ivory?
- Ron Thai Phuket Room: showing us the life in Phuket
an example of a floating device for very young children
a beautiful Chinese Calligraphy box (i also have one)

- Cultural Information Room: collection of information in a variety of formats
Military Caps? - reminding me of A Town Like Alice


 - Cultural Heritage Room: ornaments, implements and more locally made



 - Buddhism Room: sandalwood carving, Thalang history and details of the Heroines actions


Phone Number: 076 240 474 (ext. 148)
Approximate Price: Free
Address: Phuket Rajabhat University, Thepkrassatri Rd
Hours: 8:30 - 16:30 (closed weekends)




Monday 17 November 2014

Jeng Ong Chinese Shrine


Jeng Ong is a Chinese Shrine which is on the outskirts of Phuket Old Town but is still within Phuket Town (see the map).

Jeng Ong is a temple which is tucked backed from the main road and is easily missed - it is at the end of a small road opposite Vachira Hospital. I visited it only briefly the first time because it was such a surprise to find it - now I am more used to finding things in Phuket which I was not previously aware of.


I visited this temple because of the Fire Walking which took place there during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival.


The Shrine has the traditional tiles on the roof and until I get a better camera this is as close that I can get.


Inside the Shrine it is traditional - with the Fortune Telling Sticks (Kau Cim), 


and the answers.


Then the Moon blocks to help answer a question.  








There are a plethora of Chinese Figures in the Shrine and I am still working on being able to name them all (here's a start).


Next to the main temple is an area where they take care of the Sedan chairs which are common in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival


The Sedan Chair has a Nine Emperor Statue on it and is carried through the streets being bombarded with fireworks and rocked violently outside the Chinese Shrines - mimicking the action of the rough seas that were travelled on.

Previous Visits
 1) May 2011 
 2) Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2012 - Fire Walking
 3) Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2014 - Fire Walking




View Chinese Shrines in Phuket in a larger map